Clandestine
by xWintra
Summary: Davina was nothing if not Erudite, but it didn't mean that was all she would ever be. When she chooses Dauntless, she involuntarily finds herself surrounded by initiates willing to do anything to survive, a pretty asshole who can't seem to leave Davina alone and a growing conspiracy threatening all the factions, as her old faction works to use her new one as a weapon.
1. Everything Was Blue

**CHAPTER ONE; everything was blue**

* * *

It wasn't the way of Erudite to dislike or dread the idea of going to school and, usually, Davina Todd would've conformed to that, the want to devour knowledge and learn as much as she could. But, today, she didn't. Because today was the day she was meant to take the aptitude test, to see what faction she was _supposed_ to be in.

They would make their choice tomorrow, Davina and all the other sixteen-year-old citizens, at the Choosing Ceremony, where they would choose a path that would change their lives forever. She supposed, in a way, the aptitude test was pointless. The ultimate outcome was up to them, regardless of what their tests came back with.

She knew this, so she supposed her nerves were illogical, in a way. She had to be logical, that's why she wore blue all day, every day, a symbol of her faction and how they worked. How they were expected to work. Davina worked like them, she always had, but with a hint of something else that peeked through more than it should've.

"_Get up_," a firm voice cut into Davina's sleep and her messy morning thoughts, followed by the _zing _of the blinds being whipped open.

"No," Davina hissed back, her voice muffled by her pillow as she squeezed her eyes shut against the golden light spewing in from the now-open blinds. She even went as far as to roll over to place her back to the beams of light.

"We are _not _going to be late today, you hear?" Viviane Todd said, shrilly, as she ripped the covers from Davina's body. The brunette girl groaned and cracked her eyes open to see her fraternal twin sister staring down at her, hands on her hips. Sometimes it was like looking in a mirror, Davina's facial features almost matched by her sister, framed by significantly lighter hair than Davina's own.

"Can we, though?" Davina whined, rolling over so her tired eyes could look at her sister without needing to move her head or sit up.

"_No_." Viviane rolled her eyes like a mother with a child. Davina sighed dramatically, blowing a strand of her dark brown hair from her lighter-brown eyes.

"Fine," she drawled, swinging her legs out of bed and standing up, stretching and cracking her joints loudly as she went. The Todd sisters shared a room, despite the offer to have separate ones since the age of twelve, they had made the choice to stay together. The spare room had long been turned into another study space for the numerous skills they were expected to learn.

The Todds lived in a good part of the Erudite sector, in a white, modern house typical of their faction. It was just large enough for a family of five, plus the two recreational rooms that the three Todd children were encouraged to use regularly to continue to learn and build on their skills, old and new.

Speaking of, Nicholas Todd, the youngest at fourteen, darted into the twins' bedroom, looking a little frantic, his head of dark hair spiked up at odd angles. He was already dressed in a blue shirt and lighter blue pants, a combination that made Davina scrunch up her face.

"Are you two going to take _any _longer?" Nic huffed, eyeing his two older sisters. Despite the Erudite custom of avoiding nicknames, Nic had rarely gone by his full name during his life, and while a majority of the Faction called him by his full name, there were a few who still called him by the preferred nickname.

"Hey, don't look at me, it's Davina," Viviane said immediately, holding up her hands in defence and gesturing to her sister.

Davina let out a mock gasp. "Uncalled for."

"Come on guys, I have a chemistry test in, like, two hours," Nic complained, and Davina felt him; the need to get the best result on a test, the best score, the best show of knowledge. It was how they'd been raised.

Viviane clicked her tongue, looking a little annoyed. "You either have it or you don't."

Nic furrowed his brows. "You're older than me, not smarter than me."

"You used the word 'like' wrong, what was I supposed to do?" Viviane said, a hint of exasperation in her voice. Davina rolled her eyes from behind her sister, more than used to her two siblings having a go at each other for their smarts. Davina rarely did. She valued knowledge and placing high when it came to academics, but she rarely felt the need to 'compete'.

"Not correct me?" Nic responded. "I'm not stupid, you know. I have a higher overall score in mathematics than you," he added, crossing his arms.

"I beat you in English by far," Viviane scoffed.

Nic smirked, "Even though I'm, like, two years below you?"

Viviane raised her eyebrows. "Oh. _Oh_. Now that was uncalled for."

"Not denying it," Nic chanted, and Davina stifled a laugh.

Viviane crossed her arms. "Okay, now just a minute–"

"What's going on?" a cold voice interrupted. The siblings paused and turned to the door to the Todd sisters' bedroom, seeing their mother Callista standing there with her own arms crossed. She looked more like Viviane, with light hair and eyes, the strands often pulled back tightly to show her gaunt face that rarely held a smile.

Davina spoke first. "Viviane was being a bi–"

"_Davina_," Callista snapped. Davina closed her mouth, holding back her scowl as her mother fixed her eye on her.

The brunette girl took a small breath before reiterating. "Viviane was bullying me." Said-girl gave her sister an unimpressed look while Nic looked like he was fighting back a laugh.

"Ha, if only you were Candor you may actually be believed," Viviane finally said with a barking laugh.

"As if _I'd _be a loudmouth," Davina scoffed immediately, while Viviane just raised her eyebrows.

"I can see it," Nic piped up.

Davina set her gaze on him. "Okay, y'know what, screw you." Nic opened his mouth to retort.

"Enough." Callista's voice wasn't raised, but she spoke with such clarity and force that even her quiet words would silence her children, as they had for years. The three Todd children turned back to their mother. "Viviane, Davina," she addressed, "neither of you are dressed and we are meant to be leaving in just under fifteen minutes so that _you _may take the test to determine your future." The sisters exchanged glances. Callista fixed her gaze on the youngest. "Nicholas."

"Nic," he corrected.

"_Nicholas_, you have an academic test in two hours. Why aren't you reading over your notes? You need to improve on your eighty-eight percentage from your last test, remember?"

"Vividly," Nic said, in a bitterly polite tone, before he fled the room, Davina watching him leave.

"We'll be down in two minutes, mum," Viviane informed Callista when it became clear Davina wasn't going to speak up.

Callista's eyes lit up. "Splendid." And then she, too, left, closing the door behind her to leave the twins to get dressed and ready.

Davina let out a dramatic sigh once their mother was gone, and while Viviane looked at her in amusement, she didn't disagree. The two girls began to get ready in silence, both their movements heavy with dread. It didn't need to be spoken to know that both of them were nervous for the test. It couldn't be studied, or predicted, or prepared for. They had no logic or prior knowledge going in, nothing to base facts or action on. And, to an Erudite, that was terrifying.

Viviane threw Davina a dark blue jacket which she easily caught. "Are you nervous?" Viviane finally spoke, breaking the unusual silence in their room.

"Honestly? Yes," Davina admitted, never one to hide herself from her twin. She pulled a shirt over her head, it's shade of blue so light it looked almost white. Davina looked up to see Viviane looking unsure. "But, what's the worst result you can get, really? It doesn't affect your actual choice. It's called the _Choosing _Ceremony for a reason," Davina continued, applying logic to the situation as best she could, pulling her jacket on and flipping her dark hair from the collar.

"I suppose," Viviane murmured. They continued in silence, Davina's words hanging in the air as she finished getting dressed in a skirt and boots, all varying shades of blue. "Hey, do you have the lip gloss?" Viviane broke the silence again, as if it made her uncomfortable. Davina didn't say anything as she took the peach-coloured tube from atop her dresser and threw it at her sister, who caught it nimbly. "Thanks." More silence. "How much bacteria do you think's on this?" The blonde asked as she capped the lip gloss and puckered her lips.

"Take a walk on the wild side," Davina finally responded, a hint of amusement in her voice as she braided one side of her head in the mirror, fingers moving clumsily. "Yeah, fuck this," she sighed, unravelling what she'd attempted to do and instead pulling all her hair back into a single ponytail on top of her head.

"Ooh, yes, risking bacterial infections. _Fun_," Viviane replied in mock joy. Davina rolled her eyes in the mirror, knowing Viviane could see her.

"You're not dead yet."

"Lucky for you." Davina finished with her hair and turned on her heel, placing her bag onto her bed, glancing at the clock to see they had taken far longer than two minutes. Viviane cleared her throat and Davina looked back to her sister, who'd actually been able to braid her blonde hair. "But, seriously, what if we get…Abnegation?"

"Take it as a compliment. Just don't go with them?" Davina suggested. A beat of silence passed at the thought of Abnegation, the plain and simple grey-coloured Faction that the Todds' own had been attacking in the news reports for months.

Davina only kept up because of her parents, otherwise she couldn't care less. Abnegation had never been in the cards for her, but she felt no reason to attack them. Question them, think of them negatively, but physically take action seemed illogical and pointless. The world had worked just fine under their current leadership, and what better leadership then people willing to give up everything in their power for the greater good?

Viviane scoffed. "God knows you won't be a Stiff."

Davina faltered, wondering how far her sister had aimed that. It was no secret amongst their family that the brunette girl was beyond Erudite. While she had accepted the ways of learning and valuing logical thinking and knowledge, she sought thrills, experiences. A burning curiosity lived within her, and had taken over more than once, when she had combined impulsiveness and thrilling decisions with careful planning and logic. Her sister had joked she had the heart of a lion but the mind of an Erudite. It was a lazily disguised metaphor.

Davina was nothing if not Erudite, but it didn't mean that was all she would ever be.

"Ha. Funny," Davina deadpanned, falling back into herself, as she finished packing her bag for the day. They would only have half the day before the test was taken after lunch. Davina swallowed against the lump in her throat, and glanced at Viviane who was turned away from her.

Davina wondered if she was having the same internal conflict as she was, thinking over all her actions from her sixteen years of life, pinpointing its origin, the cause, and placing it with a faction. Viviane had gone along with Davina's antics all her life, but did that mean anything other than sisterly loyalty? And if so, would that loyalty carry over to the Choosing? To a life without the other?

Viviane turned around and Davina ducked her head. "C'mon. Mum looked like she was ready to drag us out by our ears if we weren't ready in time," Viviane told her, swinging her own bag over her shoulder. Davina turned their digital clock around so the time didn't show.

"Wouldn't be the first time," she said as the two sisters left their room together.

* * *

"You guys are late," Edward Díaz chastised as the Todds stepped onto the curb, having been driven to school by their mother.

"By a minute and forty-five," Viviane immediately retorted.

"Still counts," Edward said.

"Well, good morning to you, too, Ed," Davina mused.

As they continued into their school building, Nic broke off for his grade and friends, while Edward and the two Todd girls went inside. There was a kind of mania in the building Davina noted, as kids dressed in every Faction's colour moved about. Davina rarely interacted with those in other Factions, largely because she saw no need to, and Erudites in particular were branded with thinking they were better than everyone else. Davina agreed.

"Where's the girlfriend this morning?" Viviane piped up, referring to Edward's recent lover. In the ten years that he and Davina had been friends, she had seen many girlfriends come and go, but Myra seemed pretty permanent. Davina didn't care, she had never seen Edward as anything else than an older brother, and while she saw less of him now, they were still best friends. Viviane didn't have such a high opinion of him, but with the amount of time he'd spent at their house she'd gotten used to his presence.

"Early music lesson," Edward answered, as Myra was the musical prodigy of their grade. Davina had no such interests. "We still on for tonight, Davina?" Now _that _was something she was interested in: the study of martial arts and self-defence.

It had been Davina's idea to try it out when they were only ten years old, as she was bored and needed something new to try, and Edward had agreed. Viviane had been roped into it many times, but she wasn't as dedicated to the sessions Edward and Davina had as much as five times a week. Today, however, was different.

"Nope," Davina replied, shrugging. "Want to take some time to think after the test," she explained, truthfully.

"Training could help you focus," Edward pointed out.

Davina narrowed her eyes at him. "Or I could take my emotions too far and give you a black eye."

"Again," Viviane chimed in.

Davina rolled her eyes. "Is this 'attack Davina at all opportunities day'? Because I am not having it."

"Well, you'll be missed," Edward told her, swinging an arm around her shoulders. He was taller than her, much taller, and his act of affection caused him to basically hunch over.

"You won't be saying that when you return home and can still see out both your eyes properly," Viviane teased, playfully pulling on her sister's ponytail as she hurried on ahead. Edward let out a laugh as Davina glared at her sister's receding back.

"Okay, it was _one _time."

* * *

The tests began after lunch. Davina was sat at the Erudite table in the cafeteria, with Viviane on her left and Edward and his girlfriend, Myra, sitting across from them. Viviane held a book in her hand, exchanging words with one of her friends, while Myra and Edward held hands on top of the table. Davina was deep in thought, chin resting on her palm, zoned out to the rest of the world.

All she could think about were the test administrators at the front of the room, ten of them, calling ten names in rounds, to test them for their future. Davina knew she shouldn't be afraid, as she glanced at the other tables in the large room. Each table was alive with its own energy, and Davina couldn't help but feel envious of how easily some fit in. Viviane was right, she was too selfish to be a Stiff.

Myra's name was among those in the next group called up, and kissed Edward before leaving. Davina had a bet with Viviane that Myra would go to Amity. Viviane disagreed and said she'd stay in Erudite.

The girl gave away no signs of anything as she returned to her seat beside Edward, their hands finding each other again. Davina wondered, briefly, if their close relationship would affect their choice. She had already gone over the thought of leaving those she knew, multiple times over the years whenever she had stuck out like a sore thumb in Erudite, and it no longer phased the usually unemotional girl. She had enough to worry about without thinking of others when making her choice.

Seeing Viviane get called next, however, formed a hard lump in Davina's throat.

Eventually, the words "From Erudite: Davina Todd and Edward Díaz" were announced, and Davina got to her feet, exchanging a look with her friend across the table. Myra looked more nervous now then she had for her own test, and Viviane just gave Davina a weak thumbs-up.

Davina and Edward headed for the exit, walking close together as if for comfort. Anxiety clutched Davina's insides, no matter how much she tried to think her way through the feeling. Outside the cafeteria stands a row of ten rooms, used only for the aptitude tests every year. They were separated by glass, and Davina felt even more sick as she walked up to one of the doors able to see her reflection.

Momentarily, she glanced across at Edward, who gave her a smile. "See you on the other side." The remark brought a smile to Davina's face at least, as she walked into one of the rooms. Mirrors lined the walls of the small room, making it impossible fir Davina to avoid her reflection, and white light glowed from the ceiling, showing off a reclined chair in the centre of the room. It reminded Davina of the dentist.

"My name is Sarah Grayson and I'll be administering your test today," said a woman, and Davina finally focused on the administrator in the room. She was from Amity, wearing a yellow top with red pants, and she looked young, maybe a few years older than Davina herself. "Take a seat, please."

Davina obliged, sliding into the chair and reclining backwards, moving her head until it was comfortable in the headrest. To the right, Sarah was busying herself with a machine, one of her hands holding wires.

"So, how're we feeling today?" Sarah asked good-naturedly as she attached an electrode to Davina's forehead. It was cold but she ignored it.

"Okay. All things considered," Davina answered, as honestly as she could with someone she barely knew. Sarah just hummed and attached another electrode to Davina's forehead.

"You won't feel a thing, okay?" Sarah assured her as she pressed the next electrode to her own forehead. Davina furrowed her brows, wondering what it could mean for the aptitude test.

"I'm not worried about that," she told the woman, as Sarah began to attach more wires to herself, Davina and the machine to the right. If Davina wasn't so convinced that if the test hurt or was dangerous they wouldn't administer it, she would've been panicking from how it appeared so far.

"Worried about failing?" Sarah asked, a teasing note to her voice. Davina didn't answer. "You Erudite hear the word 'test' and I swear it activates your fight or flight mode," Sarah mused, and Davina couldn't help her lip turning up slightly.

Sarah finally seemed satisfied with her work and handed Davina a vial of clear liquid. Davina stared at it cautiously. "Really?" she asked, unable to hide the disappointment from her voice. The aptitude test was just drinking something?

"You'll see," Sarah told her. Davina narrowed her eyes and accepted the vial. She held it up to the light, as if that would help her figure out what it was. "You're supposed to drink it."

Knowing if she waited any longer she'd lose her nerve, Davina downed the suspicious liquid before closing her eyes, falling into a world of the unknown.

* * *

Davina came to with a gasp in the chair, senses still on high alert from the simulation. She had heard plenty about them, but being _in _one was a completely experience. The phrase about it being a test you couldn't study for seemed almost amusing to Davina now.

She looked in one of the mirrors, being able to see Sarah, and waited for her to say her result, but the woman had gone stiff and Davina sensed something was wrong. She began to silently remove the electrodes from Davina and herself, and her increased silence only made the brunette more anxious.

"What?" she finally snapped. Sarah didn't even blink at her hostility. "What is it?" Davina hated the desperation in her voice as she sat up in the chair. Had she failed the test?

Sarah sighed and wrung her hands in front of her. "Your results… are inconclusive."

Davina didn't register it at first, having been too focused on hearing whatever Faction she said she belonged it. "What does that mean?" Davina asked. "And _not _the textbook definition. What faction does it say I'm supposed to be in?"

"Erudite," Sarah answered. Davina let out a small sigh of relief. It was a homely result. "_And _Dauntless," Sarah added, and Davina furrowed her brows in confusion. "You…you have equal aptitude for both."

"Why?" Davina questioned immediately, her need for knowledge and understanding coming forth. "I thought that was impossible?"

"No. It's– it's very rare," Sarah responded, her voice hushed. "Listen, you can't tell anyone about this. _Especially_ anyone from Erudite." It sounded more like a warning than advice, and Davina was still confused.

"Uh, why?"

Sarah's eyes were wide as she spoke. "You're considered dangerous."

_Dangerous? _"Okay… what does that mean?" Davina asked, slowly, trying to process what had happened. This wasn't normal, she wasn't normal. Her result was split in two.

Sarah just shook her head. "If anyone else finds out about this… I'm sorry. I'll log your results as Erudite." The word of her home Faction, the safe option of the two, brought a surprisingly bitter taste to Davina's mouth. Hadn't she been the one to say the test didn't matter? That the results were just recommendations that didn't affect her ultimate choice? It suddenly didn't feel that easy.

"But–"

"Why don't you head back out?"

"You can't just–"

"Doesn't class start in half an hour?"

"No, b–"

"There's still dozens of–"

"_What am I?_" The desperation in Davina's voice seemed to bring Sarah to a halt, as the brunette girl stared at her. From the look on Sarah's face, Davina expected a remark about how Erudite had to know everything, but instead she spoke softly.

"They call it Divergent." Davina's face shifted at the word, enough so that Sarah was prompted to ask, "You know?"

"Almost nothing," Davina replied, keeping her own voice quiet. "But my parents have talked about them before. They're…a danger to the system?" She had no idea what that meant, but the tones her parents had used during those few conversations were severe enough that Davina feared this… Divergence being discovered.

Sarah nodded, and Davina swallowed against the lump in her throat. "You can't tell _anyone _about it." Sarah's voice was as desperate as Davina felt, and she got the feeling it surpassed the whole 'don't tell your results before you choose' general rule. "Do you feel alright to return or do you want to go home early?" Sarah's voice was gentle now, and Davina saw the Amity in her.

"And draw attention to myself being different? No," Davina said, immediately. _Be smart_, she told herself, while another voice told her that facing the world after how she felt now was to _be brave_. The bitter taste in her mouth didn't go away.

"Clever girl," Sarah said, a hint of pride in her voice. Davina just frowned. "Now, go."

The girl slipped off the chair and patted down her skirt and adjusted her ponytail as she headed for the exit. She risked a glance over her shoulder to see Sarah watching her with an unreadable expression. She still knew as little about herself as she had when she entered the room.

"Thanks for nothing, I guess," Davina said without thinking, before leaving the room before she could be reprimanded for her harshness.

* * *

**A/N**: back at it with another fic oh god. but welcome to clandestine_!_

so yeah davina _is _a divergent, however i have aimed to write her differently from tris' experience with it (and just a completely different character/person overall) and also included it for plot reasons, not just because it's _cool_.

this _is _a planned trilogy for each book of the series so hopefully it goes okay. it's also an eventual peter x oc because i like complex characters like that and i personally believe veronica roth neglected to add depth to him but whatever,,

i also made the conscious choice not to include the aptitude test simulation BECAUSE the full version of it is not known as tori had to keep altering it for tris so we will never know what it really is, and plus davina is a different combination of factions than tris so i felt if i wrote it it would not be accurate. is it lazy? yes. omission narrative device? yes. sorry not sorry.

anyway, please, please let me know your thoughts and if you enjoyed this chapter, consider following or favouriting (may as well say 'like and subscribe and turn on post notifications' at this point) and thank you for reading and i'll see y'all in the next one_! xx_

_*this chapter is currently unedited. it will be reread and edited in the near future*_


	2. Not So Black and White

**CHAPTER TWO; not so black and white**

* * *

Davina returned to her seat in silence, trying to keep her posture as relaxed as possible. But it was near impossible, as her mind raced over the logistics of what just happened. She had a split result. And it made sense. That was the worst of it. If she had been able to predict it, would others? Just how dangerous was she considered to be?

"Are you okay?" Davina looked up to see Myra sitting across from her. Edward was sitting beside her but they weren't holding hands, and the boy looked more shaken than Davina had ever seen him. Beside her, Viviane was quiet, but looked the most relaxed.

"I'm fine," Davina lied. She felt sick to her stomach with nerves. Of what she would choose, of what being _Divergent _even meant, of her future.

Myra didn't seem to believe her but accepted the answer and turned away, and Davina zoned out again as the tests continued. It would be over soon and they'd have to spend the rest of the day interacting with people they may never see again. Davina would have to look her sister in the eye and lie about how she got an inconclusive result. She hadn't failed. She wasn't Factionless. She didn't not belong anywhere, she belonged in too many Factions.

The choice was up to her, right? Davina had said it herself. But choosing seemed terrifying now.

* * *

By the time the day had ended, Davina just wanted time to think. Viviane had eventually come out of her shell and managed to distract Davina for the rest of the day, but it wasn't enough. As the brunette left the school on her own to take the bus home, she felt dread. The same as that morning, but worse. Ten times worse.

In her confusion she slammed into a boy walking the opposite direction. He was dressed in Candor clothes; black and white, like how they saw the world. Davina hardly batted an eyelid and kept going, feeling like it was impossible to breathe when surrounded by so many people. She had just cleared the entrance to the school when someone fell into step beside her.

"Hey," they chirped, startling Davina enough that she stopped walking to face them.

"Hi," she breathed, looking up at Edward who appeared a lot better than after he had taken the test.

"Sorry I didn't check in before. Are you okay?" He _must_ have gotten Amity, with his default kindness and warmth to everyone around him. But then he also thirst for knowledge. Was he also Divergent? Just how rare was it?

Davina was so busy being paranoid it took her a few moments to actually respond. "Yeah, yeah," she said, nonchalantly. Edward clearly didn't believe her as he gazed down at her, dark eyes narrowing.

"Was your result… not what you expected?" he asked, slowly. It was common knowledge you weren't supposed to share your results with anyone before the Choosing, but Edward was trying to find a way around it. But that rule didn't apply to Davina, apparently.

"One way of putting it," she replied, briefly, not wanting to dwell on the test or their results or anything to do with that day. "Where's Myra?" She swerved the conversation around.

Edward looked confused by the sudden topic change, given that Davina didn't _really _care much for Myra, but he relented. "Study group."

Davina resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Naturally."

"Where's Viviane?" Edward countered, but it was a fair question. Davina was rarely seen without her twin.

"Volunteer work in the chemistry labs," Davina replied, leaving off the fact it was to cover for Davina who had put her name down, but lied and said she felt sick and just wanted to go home. She hadn't expected her sister to leap onto the opportunity to take her place. "And Nic's at a friend's," Davina added before Edward could ask.

Edward nodded. "C'mon. I'll walk you home." He took a few steps back, as if prompting Davina to start moving again.

"Ed, that'll take forever," she sighed.

"So?" Davina had wanted more time alone to think. "Could be our last day here. May as well take it all in," Edward added, and the words hit a soft spot in Davina. She swallowed hard, her stomach twisting, as she stepped forward and fell into place beside Edward as they begun the long walk home.

Davina scoffed. "Yeah, right."

* * *

The sun was dipping below the horizon by the time they reached the Todd house, Davina's cheeks hurting from how much Edward had managed to make her laugh during their time together. They trotted up the stairs to the front door, Davina fumbling in her jacket pocket for her keys. She wasn't sure if her parents would be home from work yet, and Viviane and Nic couldn't get home without being driven.

Davina sighed as she inserted the key, and turned to look at her friend, whose face lacked much of the amusement it had held moments ago. Her hand slipped from the door as she angled her body to face Edward.

"Well, thanks for walking me back," she said, softly.

"It's nothing," Edward responded just as softly.

And then they hugged, something commonplace in their friendship, but was now unknown in the future.

Departing from Edward felt like letting apart of her life go, as Davina entered her house and began to switch all the lights on. And now, she was alone with her thoughts, as her mind raced, thinking over all that had happened.

She could avoid outing her being Divergent, couldn't she? Her results were logged as Erudite, if anyone ever asked, she could say Erudite. No one would have any reason to believe she was different, or a danger. She wasn't Candor, she knew for a fact she could lie her ass off and get away with it. If she knew more about what it meant to be Divergent, she'd know how to hide it better. Or know how they were even different. What did it matter? She'd still choose her Faction and live by their ways, wouldn't she?

Davina sighed in frustration as she set her bag down and moved into the kitchen. It was routine that she cooked meals in the family if she could, so she pushed any thoughts of the tests and the Choosing the very next day to the back of her mind as she worked.

"Hey, you're home," a voice called after a half an hour. Rice was already boiling on the stovetop and Davina was leaning against the countertop, bored, as Viviane entered, closing the front door behind her.

"Hey," Davina greeted, simply. The question was right on the tip of her tongue. "How'd you get home?" she asked, instead.

"Uh, one of the other volunteers' parents drove me," Viviane replied as she set her own bag down. She walked towards the kitchen and slid into one of the countertop chairs, looking across at Davina by the stove. "Nice people," Viviane added with a thumbs-up, which only worked to remind Davina of the tests.

"Well, my food is nicer," Davina joked, if only to cover up how she felt. As the time passed, the rest of the Todd family came home, until they were all sat at the dining table, with Davina serving up the meal she had made.

Usually, the table was alive with chatter, but tonight it was quiet. Even Nic, who usually had something new to talk about every night, stayed silent. Viviane and Davina exchanged looks, constantly, knowing they were the cause. Tonight could be their last night with their family, yet they spent it coldly. It stung.

After dinner, Davina headed to her room straight away and began to get ready for bed, Viviane entering the room a few minutes later. Davina had _never _hid anything from Viviane. What was hers – whether it be clothes, food, secrets, or knowledge – was automatically Viviane's as well.

But, not tonight. Tonight, Davina could only see the face of the woman who had administered her test, the desperation in her eyes as she told the brunette she wasn't normal, that she – her very identity – was dangerous. And so, she withheld the first thing of hers from her sister.

They weren't supposed to talk about their results with anyone, anyway. But, Davina noted, Viviane made no move to confide into Davina about her own results, either. The two sisters hardly said a word to each other as they slid into bed on opposite sides of their room, and Davina closed her eyes, her mind racing with thoughts of what tomorrow would bring.

* * *

"You look like you're about to throw up," Viviane remarked the next evening as they prepared to go to the Choosing Ceremony. Davina, who was sure she looked pale, couldn't even manage to snap something back. She had hardly slept, and dark circles hung under her eyes. All night, she had been thinking about what she was going to do, where she was going to place herself.

It had taken her time to accept she was different, or considered a 'danger', but once she had convinced herself she could hide her Divergence, it became a matter that everyone else faced. Which Faction was she going to choose? _The results don't matter_, she kept telling herself. It was a choice. And one Davina didn't want to have to make.

"At least wear something nice," Viviane insisted, and Davina accepted the royal blue blazer offered. Her sister seemed far less anxious about the Choosing, but Davina suspected that wasn't true. Viviane had always been the better liar of the two, always taking the responsibility to effortlessly face their parents after Davina did something reckless as a child. Still, if Viviane could be so bright today, Davina told herself she could as well.

"A blazer isn't going to make me look any less _dead_," Davina snorted, and Viviane rolled her eyes. "No, thanks," Davina said as Viviane suggested she wear a skirt. The twisted feeling in her stomach only got worse as Davina pulled on a pair of dark, flexible pants. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted her blue ribbon, which she instinctively tied around the base of her ponytail. It only felt right.

Once the sisters were dressed more appropriately for the occasion and headed out of their room, they were made aware of raised voices from the main room.

"I'm going," Nic exclaimed as Davina and Viviane entered the area of the front door. Both Callista and Zachariah, their father, looked displeased at the boy's obvious insistence.

"This is not a matter for you to attend," Callista scolded, but Nic was clearly feeling adventurous today.

"It involves my family, so yeah, I'm going," he snapped. Zachariah opened his mouth to say something, but Viviane spoke up first.

"Let him," she said, placing a hand on her brother's shoulder. He was only an inch shorter than her, and would no doubt grow taller in the future. "Come on, it could be the last time we're all together," Viviane added, and her choice of words clearly irked their parents, as they opened the door and headed out without further complaint. Nic mouthed a 'thank you' to which Viviane just pulled him in for a side hug as they headed out the door.

Davina smiled at her family, before risking a glance back at her house. _It could be the last time we're all together_. She swallowed thickly and followed her family outside.

The drive into the city was silent like dinner the night before, but this time the tension was palpable. Davina continually fingered a button on her blazer, while Viviane silently tapped her fingers on her thigh. Nic seemed to be the only one not feeling the dread, and Davina wondered if the severity of the situation had properly settled on him.

When they arrived at the Hub – the tallest building in the city – Davina avoided looking up. Beside her, Viviane linked their arms, literally joining them at the hip. Davina wondered if it was to comfort her, or Viviane, too. Nic continued to look around in fascination as the family headed for the elevator, which took them up to the twentieth floor of the building. An Abnegation held the door open for them as they filed inside, and Viviane tightened her hold on Davina.

The room was arranged in concentric circles, with rows of chairs for each faction for the families to sit and watch. In one of the circles were the bowls, five of them, made of metal and huge. They all contained a substance to represent the chosen Faction, and soon Davina would be standing up there and making her choice.

Davina and Viviane took their place on the edge, with the rest of the sixteen-year-olds of every Faction, and shuffled against the crowd to arrange themselves in alphabetical order according to their surnames, which placed the Todds nearer to the back.

"Make us proud," Callista said, placing a hand on each of her daughters' shoulders. Davina looked at her, evenly, debating whether she should hug her or not. Viviane's words of this being the last time together rung in her head, but Callista had moved to take a seat before Davina could do anything. She sighed, wondering if she would regret that later.

"Good luck," Zachariah said, noticeably warmer. He was a tall, slim man, with dark hair and eyes that Davina and Nic had inherited. He brought Viviane into a hug, the pair hanging on for a few seconds, before he reached over to Davina. The brunette hugged her father tightly, valuing the rare display of affection and simply the warmth of another person. She almost didn't let go as Zachariah pulled away.

"Yeah, whatever." Nic swung an arm around each of the sisters' shoulders, hugging them both at the same time. He grinned up at them when he pulled away. "I'll see you soon," he chirped as he headed over to where Callista had taken a seat. Davina's mouth flooded with that bitter taste again, Nic's certainty of seeing her again in Erudite making her feel a fresh wave of nausea.

"Just remember, whatever choice you make needs to be true to you. Okay?" Zachariah said, quietly. Before Davina or Viviane could question it, he had left, too, leaving the two sisters to stand alone, awaiting their live-changing choice.

It only seemed to get worse as Edward approached them through the crowd, and Davina almost wished she didn't have to see him one more time. The night before had been final enough. The hug they exchanged was brief.

"See you on the other side," Edward murmured. Davina, who so rarely cried, felt her resolve almost break as she watched her best friend fade into the crowd, placing himself nearer to the front of the line of future-initiates. Davina took a deep breath as the room began to quieten and come to order. _This was it_.

"You already know," Viviane said, quietly. Davina turned her head to look at her sister, who would be called up first, as they chose in reverse alphabetical order.

"What?"

Viviane frowned. "You have that look on your face whenever you make a decision. Like you've already made up your mind, even if you don't realise it yet yourself."

Davina's gaze lowered. "It doesn't matter." There was a beat of silence.

"You know whatever happens…you're still my sister, right?" Viviane spoke, her voice wavering slightly. Davina met her eyes, fearing if she spoke she would start to cry. "We shared a womb, okay, you can't just forget about that," Viviane added, lightly. This made Davina crack a smile.

"I'm still older," she insisted, playfully.

"By _twelve _minutes," Viviane said in mock offence.

"Still older," Davina chimed, and the sisters chuckled quietly to themselves. "I love you," Davina said, softly once the laughter died down. Viviane looked at her, the unmistakable trace of tears welling in her eyes.

"I love you, too," she said without missing a beat.

The room had finally come to order, as Marcus Eaton of Abnegation stood on the podium at the front. Responsibility to conduct the ceremony rotated each year, and this time it was the Stiffs. Davina snapped to attention as he spoke, even if it felt like she was listening underwater, her heartbeat in her ears taking over.

"Welcome," Marcus said, loud enough so everyone could hear. "Welcome to the Choosing Ceremony. Welcome to the day we honour the democratic philosophy of our ancestors, which tells us that every man has the right to choose his own way in this world." Five predispositions, Davina thought bitterly. "Our dependents are now sixteen. They stand on the precipice of adulthood, and it is now up to them to decide what kind of people they will be." Viviane took a hold of Davina's hand suddenly, squeezing tightly. Davina squeezed back.

"Decades ago our ancestors realised that it is not political ideology, religious belief, race, or nationalism that is to blame for a warring world. Rather, they determined that it was the fault of human personality– of humankind's inclination toward evil, in whatever form that is. They divided into factions that sought to eradicate those qualities they believed responsible for the world's disarray." Davina had heard the story before in history, but it suddenly felt a lot heavier.

"Those who blamed aggression formed Amity. Those who blamed ignorance became the Erudite." Davina swallowed thickly at the mention of her home faction. She was Erudite, she valued logic and thinking, she hated ignorance. "Those who blamed duplicity created Candor. Those who blamed selfishness made Abnegation. And those who blamed cowardice were the Dauntless." Davina didn't dare glance over to the other Faction her results had suggested. The Faction that jumped off trains, tattooed and pierced each other for fun and wore black and red in all styles. They were reckless and impulsive, but brave.

"Working together, these five factions have lived in peace for many years, each contributing to a different sector of society. Abnegation has fulfilled our need for selfless leaders in government; Candor has provided us with trustworthy and sound leaders in law; Erudite has supplied us with intelligent teachers and researchers; Amity has given us understanding counsellors and caretakers; and Dauntless provides us with protection from threats both within and without."

"But the reach of each faction is not limited to these areas. We give one another far more than can be adequately summarized. In our factions, we find meaning, we find purpose, we find life." _Faction before blood. _Davina glanced over to Viviane, who was watching Marcus intently.

"Apart from them, we would not survive." Silence followed. "Therefore this day marks a happy occasion– the day on which we receive our new initiates, who will work with us toward a better society and a better world."

There was applause, but Davina didn't remove her hand from Viviane's. Marcus began to read out the names, one by one. She hardly paid attention, barely recognising any of the people that went up. She knew she'd have to sit through a while, given her place in the alphabetical order, and that only made her nerves worse.

"Edward Díaz," Marcus announced, and Davina snapped to attention. She watched him, steady and confident, approach the bowls and accept his knife from the Stiff. Without so much as a wince he cut his palm, held out his hand, and the blood burned on the Dauntless coals.

"Dauntless!"

Davina watched him take his place with the other Dauntless initiates, and the pair met eyes. Davina looked away first and focused back in on the Choosing. One by one, the sixteen-year-olds chose. It was disappointing but not surprising when Myra chose Dauntless and went straight to Edward, but Davina supposed she wasn't one to judge.

The numbers were dwindling by the time Marcus reached 'T', and the words Davina dreaded were announced. "Viviane Todd."

The blonde's lip was trembling, and she gave Davina's hand one last squeeze before they inevitably had to let go. Viviane's hand slipping from Davina's felt worse then letting Edward go, worse than farewelling her parents and her unsuspecting brother. Much, much worse.

Davina watched with bated breath as Viviane cut into her palm and watched the blood pool in her hand. She took a few deep breaths, her eyes – which had always been greener than Davina's – scanned all the bowls, before she quickly snapped her hand out, and turned her head away. Davina's face fell as Viviane's blood hit the water.

"Erudite!" Marcus announced, and the crowd applauded as Viviane headed over to rest of the initiates. Davina's heart pounded against her ribcage, as she watched her family's pleased smiles and Viviane's body relax slightly as she melded back into the blue-clothed citizens.

"Davina Todd."

She squeezed her hand so tight she felt her nails bite into the skin, as Davina walked towards the bowls, her movements stiff and her eyes only focused on the knife she would be offered. She accepted it, not meeting Marcus' eyes and turned to face the bowls. Water or fire.

Davina bit her lip to diffuse the pain as she cut into her palm, dragging the knife across her skin. Like Viviane before her, she watched the blood pool in her hand, but her eyes drifted. Her family were all in one place, her home, everything she had ever known, was Erudite. A life there would be easy for her. Any doubts of separating from Viviane could be forgotten. She could go home.

But she was not all Erudite, and taking calculated risks and choosing unknown paths was all that had separated her from them.

Davina moved her hand forward, her blood sizzling on the coals.

"Dauntless."

There was applause but Davina felt numb to it as she let her hand fall at her side, the remaining blood dripping onto the carpet. Her movements were still stiff as she moved forward, towards the black-clad portion, the Dauntless, her choice.

It felt like a betrayal. As Davina looked over where her family sat, her mother wore a look of disgust, her father, Zachariah, gave her an unusually warm smile, and Nic looked hurt. Davina almost didn't dare her eyes to drift further, to where Viviane sat amongst the Erudite initiates, but she did. Their eyes met, light brown and hazel, as they knew their decisions had been made. The smile the twins gave each other was supportive, but sad. Faction before blood.

And then Davina turned away from her family and joined her chosen Faction.

* * *

**A/N**: okay so we're onto the fun part now. i've got about ten chapters of this book prewritten so hopefully updates can become more regular but we'll see

anyway, please review and let me know your thoughts, consider following or favouriting aaaaand thank you for reading and i'll see y'all in the next one_! xx_


	3. Hit the Ground Running

**CHAPTER THREE; hit the ground running**

* * *

Davina didn't look back at her family again, as the Choosing finished quickly after the Todds were called. There was still a bitter taste in her mouth, and the cut on her palm stung beneath the medical tape she had been given, and Davina suspected she wouldn't feel better until she left the Ceremony.

The Dauntless moved first once the Ceremony finished, heading for the stairs. The crowd was harsh and moved them away. Davina had the urge to search for her family, but she kept herself focused and forward. Edward was ahead of her, his hand in Myra's. Davina didn't care to talk to him yet. They were together now, they could catch up later.

Davina felt alone as she hurried forward. To her right was a girl from Abnegation, one of two Stiffs that transferred to Dauntless, who was short and blonde. She looked as plain as Davina would expect. Davina caught a glance to her left, making eye contact with a pale-looking boy from her own Faction.

"_William?_" she asked in disbelief. He gave her a weak grin, as if that would hide his obvious nerves, before the Dauntless around them began to run. There were whoops and shouts and laughter, a whirlwind of freedom and chaos as they sprinted down the stairs at an alarming pace.

"What the hell is going on?" Will shouted above the noise. The Abnegation girl just shook her head, while Davina found herself grinning as she kept running. She wasn't unfit, but was stronger than she was enduring, and by the time they reached the first floor and burst through the exist, Davina felt her lungs burning.

The sun was setting in the distance, casting an orange glow on the land and the Dauntless, who were spreading out across the street. Davina had no idea where they were going as she sprinted after them, suddenly being thankful for her decision to wear pants and not a skirt that night. They continued down the street and around the corner, before the sound of a train horn could be heard. Davina's eyes widened.

"Oh no," Will mumbled, having kept pace with Davina. "Are we supposed to hop on that thing?"

"Yes," the Abnegation girl said, breathlessly, having also managed to keep up. Davina felt panic swell in her chest at the thought of jumping onto a moving train, but quickly applied logic. She'd seen the Dauntless do it enough, and she knew she had the upper body strength to do it. The odds were in her favour.

The crowd spread out in a long line up ahead as the train came towards them, lights flashing and horn blaring loudly. The door to each car was open, and Davina tensed her muscles as she prepared. Group by group, the Dauntless hauled themselves in, until only the initiates remained. It lasted a fleeting second, before only the transfers were left, the Dauntless-borns more than used to this routine by now.

"C'mon, lover boy," Davina jeered at Will, who gave her a withering glare as they began to jog alongside one of the cars. Davina was ahead of him, and after a few moments she bent her knees and threw herself sideways. Her shoulder jarred from the impact, but she was largely unharmed as she swung herself inside and rolled away from the edge. Will made it seconds later, brushing himself down.

"Shut up," he grumbled when he saw her looking at him.

"Didn't say anything," she mused, just as she heard a shout from outside. Davina glanced outside to see a short boy with red hair from her home Faction, trying hopelessly to keep up with the train. Myra, of course, reached out a hand for him, but he didn't make it. Davina watched on as the boy fell to his knees, before turning away only to meet Will's eyes.

"Did… did you know him?" he asked. Davina just shook her head, feeling uneasy now at how easily someone had failed initiation. It could've been anyone. "Me either."

The train began to pick up speed, to the point those closest to the open doors were thrown back by the wind, but Davina pressed herself against the back wall, standing in silence with Will. They weren't friends, but he was familiar to her at least.

"Fancy seeing you here." Davina glanced away from the glowing sunset to see Edward and Myra heading over. The brunette couldn't help the smile forming on her face as she embraced her best friend, a small remainder of the life she had left behind at Erudite.

"It's good to see you," Davina breathed. She meant it.

Standing with the only remaining Erudite-transfers, Davina glanced around to observe the other transfers, as they were the only ones who had been slow enough to make it on this car. The Stiff girl seemed to be napping, curled up against the back wall beside a pretty Candor girl. Davina's eyes drifted curiously to the other Stiff, a boy who was scrawny, with a messy head of hair and a scowl on his face. He sat alone, and no one tried to talk to him.

There were a lot of Candor transfers, Davina noted, eyeing a burly boy who was bigger than anyone else there, as well as that girl from before, plus a trio of Candors. A girl with crooked teeth and a noticeably large nose was sitting closer to the edge of the car than anyone else, accompanied by a stocky boy with red hair. Standing above them was another boy, this one lean, with dark hair and wide green eyes. His high eye-brow placement made him look innocent, while his olive complexion and long, narrow-bridged nose made him look almost angelic.

Davina had been staring too long, when she was elbowed in the side. She sent Edward a glare. "What're you staring at?" he whispered, playfully. Davina turned back to the Candor boy.

"Him," she told Edward, leaning her head against her friend's shoulder. "He's pretty." Edward just snorted but didn't say anything, earning an eyeroll from Davina. She quickly glanced back at the Candor boy, their eyes meeting. Davina held the eye contact confidently, giving him a small smile, before turning back to her friends.

It had been at least half an hour of travelling in the train, watching the city blur past and listening to the wind blare, before the burly Candor boy let out a shout. "They're jumping off!"

"Are you kidding me?" Will huffed beside Davina as they moved forward to see that the boy who shouted was right. Ahead of them, Dauntless were jumping out as the train passed a rooftop. The tracks were seven stories up, Davina counted, and she swallowed as she realised what she was about to do. The transfers were now lined up on the edge of the car, the rooftop growing ever closer. Davina was with Will; Myra and Edward positioned somewhere else. She was too preoccupied to pay much attention.

"So, we have to jump off too, then," the Candor girl with crooked teeth remarked.

"Great," the pretty Candor boy replied. His voice was higher than Davina had expected. "Because that makes perfect sense, Molly. Leap off a train onto a roof."

"This is kind of what we signed up for Peter," the girl, Molly, retorted. She was right, of course.

"Well, I'm not doing it," a voice piped up. It belonged to a boy with a tear-streaked face, the only Amity transfer.

"You've got to," the other Candor girl insisted, "or you fail." Davina hated those words. "Come on, it'll be alright."

"No, it won't! I'd rather be factionless than dead!" the Amity boy exclaimed, shaking his head. The rooftop was only getting closer, and Davina knew the risk and reward of taking the leap was greater than just giving up and becoming factionless. Davina clenched her fist at her side as the rooftop approached.

"Want me to hold your hand, Todd?" Will asked, giving her a mocking frown.

"Shut it, lover boy," she snapped, just as she realised they'd reached the rooftop. Davina didn't think, just acted, bending her knees and leaping forward. For a moment, she was weightless, before she hit the gravel on the rooftop. Her body instinctively rolled, taking the pressure off her legs as she ended up on her back, staring at the orange sky.

Davina heaved in a few breaths, processing what she just did, before she laughed and sat up. All the initiates had made the jump, except the Amity boy, he had stayed behind. Davina didn't feel bad; he'd made his choice. Molly held her ankle, while Peter, the pretty boy, looked smug as he stood on his feet. Must've been a perfect landing, Davina guessed.

"You're crazy," someone said, and Davina looked up to see Will, whose blonde hair was ruffled. Davina accepted his offered hand as he pulled her to her feet. Before she could thank him, there was a loud wail. Davina frowned at the sight of a Dauntless girl standing at the edge of the roof, staring down at the ground below. She was screaming, held back by another Dauntless.

"I don't want to look," Davina grimaced, and Will just nodded as the two turned away from the scene that Davina could only imagine the horror of. They headed towards Myra and Edward, blue sticking with blue.

"Ooh. Scandalous! A Stiff's flashing some skin!" someone exclaimed. Davina turned her head to see Peter pointing at the Abnegation girl who had lifted her sleeve to examine the scraped skin on her elbow. He was smirking, and some people around them laughed.

"Oh, so he's a pretty asshole, then," Davina whispered into Edward's ear.

"Listen up! My name is Max!" a man shouted from the other end of the roof. He looked older than anyone else there, with dark skin and greying hair. "I am one of the leaders of your new faction!" He stood on the edge of the roof casually, as if one tremble wouldn't mean certain death. "Several stories below us is the members' entrance to our compound. If you can't muster the will to jump off, you don't belong here. Our initiates have the privilege of going first."

"You want us to jump off a ledge?" Myra asked, lips parted in surprise.

Max merely looked amused. "Yes."

"Is there water at the bottom or something?" Myra pressed.

"Who knows?" Max raised his eyebrows.

No one made any move forward. Initiates looked anywhere but Max, and Davina exchanged a look with Edward, as everyone apprehensively waited for the first jumper. Of _all_ the initiates, the Abnegation girl walked forward. Some people snickered, but Davina just watched on, perplexed. Max stepped aside to let her pass as she stood on the edge and stepped up.

She undid her overshirt, showing off an unusual amount of skin for someone from Abnegation. Davina supposed she no longer belonged to that Faction, however. The girl balled up her grey shirt and threw it at Peter, hitting him in the chest. All he did was stare, and some people catcalled and shouted, bursts of sound in the otherwise silence.

And then she jumped. Davina watched her disappear over the ledge, to whatever awaited them at the bottom. A few moments of silence passed, Davina's heart thumping in her ears. She chose this, she chose this life. She had to be brave, but she also had to be smart. They wouldn't send them straight to their death, it wasn't logical. Something _must _be at the bottom to keep them safe.

Confident in her logic and thinking, Davina stepped forward. The crowd parted to let her through, and she knew she couldn't back down now. She stepped onto the ledge, teetering on the edge. Down below, a hole in the concrete awaited her. She breathed deeply, her trembling hands slipping her dark blue blazer off to throwing it over the edge first, and watched it float down into darkness. It left her in dark blue pants and a white dress shirt.

"Ah, shit," Davina said, loud enough that some initiates heard and laughed, just as the brunette jumped. It was thrilling, weightlessly falling through the air to something she didn't know. Her stomach twisted as she fell into darkness, just as she hit something. Hard.

She coughed, wheezing from the impact. The surface gave way beneath her but bounced back. It was a net. Davina let out a gasp and then a small laugh as she scrambled across the net, noticing hands reaching out to her from the edge. She grabbed whichever one came first, which was a woman with dark hair and three silver rings through an eyebrow.

"What's your name?" she asked as Davina's feet hit the ground.

Davina sucked in a breath. "Davina."

The woman smiled and clapped Davina on the shoulder. "Welcome to Dauntless." As she stepped away, Davina was vaguely aware of cheers and claps around her from a crowd. She glanced back at the hole above. She'd jumped off a roof.

Davina spotted the Abnegation girl off to the side, looking just as thrilled as Davina herself felt and headed over. The girl looked breathless, and wore a thrilled smile on her face. "Not so Stiff, are you?" Davina asked. The girl looked momentarily caught off guard, before shaking her head.

"Was it just me who found that fun?" the blonde asked. Davina laughed a bit and shook her head, just as someone else jumped down, their screams following them all the way down. It was the pretty Candor girl who had been sitting with the Stiff the whole train ride.

She stumbled over a few moments later, looking as exhilarated as the other two had moments after their leap. "Who's this?" the Candor girl asked. She was taller than both Davina and the Stiff.

"Oh, I'm Davina," the brunette introduced.

"Christina," the Candor girl responded. Davina glanced to the Stiff, whose eyes widened a bit, as if she didn't really know her name.

"Be– Tris," she got out.

Davina furrowed her brows. "Beatrice?"

The girl shook her head. "No. Just Tris."

The rest of the initiates joined them steadily over the next few minutes, all wearing similar looks of exhilaration and amazement as they were helped off the net and came back to stand on solid ground. Davina's shout of 'way to go, lover boy!' earned her Will's middle finger, but it only made her laugh, amusement making her blind to the dark green eyes watching her curiously.

When they had all jumped, the woman who had helped Davina off the net – Lauren – lead them down a narrow tunnel, accompanied by a tough-looking man with deep-set eyes and a tattoo peeking out from under his collar. The walls around them were made of stone, and sloped in such a way it felt like they were descending underground.

"When I said it was like they just popped out of the ground, this isn't exactly what I meant," Davina heard Christina say in front of her, and couldn't help but snicker quietly. The tunnel was only lit in intervals by dim lamps, providing a dark space between them. The group stopped abruptly, Davina managing not to bump into Christina, while Will sharply ran into the back of her.

Davina let out a hiss and Will murmured a quick 'sorry' as the leaders in front of them stood to face the group of initiates. "This is where we divide," Lauren told them. "The Dauntless-born initiates are with me. I assume you don't need a tour of the place." There were scattered laughs, as she beckoned towards them. The Dauntless-born initiates disappeared into the shadows, their steps and voices bouncing off the walls, and left behind only the transfers. There were only eleven transfer initiates, an odd number.

The man spoke now. "Most of the time I work in the control room, but for the next few weeks, I am your instructor," he informed them. "My name is Four."

Christina scoffed. "Four? Like the number?" Davina wanted to ask, too, but she had the common sense not to.

"Yes," Four responded, staring Christina down. "Is there a problem?"

Davina elbowed the Candor girl in the back. "No," Christina said.

"Good. We're about to go into the Pit, which you will someday learn to love. It–"

Christina snickered. "The Pit? Clever name."

Davina sighed as Four walked up to Christina, leaning down so his face was close to hers. There were a few beats of silence. "What's your name?" he finally asked, quietly.

"Christina," she got out.

"Well, Christina, if I wanted to put up with Candor smart-mouths, I would have joined their faction," he hissed. "The first lesson you will learn from me is to keep your mouth shut. Got that?" She simply nodded. Four just turned and headed toward the shadow at the end of the tunnel. The crowd of initiates moved on in silence.

"What a jerk," Davina heard Christina mumble, but didn't respond as Tris fell into step with her.

"I guess he doesn't like to be laughed at," the blonde said to her friend. At the end of the tunnel, Four pushed a set of double doors open, and the initiates piled into the place known as the 'Pit'.

"Oh," Christina whispered. "I get it."

Davina found herself in an underground cavern, so massive the other side wasn't visible from where she was stood. Rock walls rose several stories above them, and places for food, clothing and other supplies were built into the stone at dangerous-looking angles. The only way to get to them was up narrow paths and steps carved into the rock, yet there were no barriers to stop from falling. The roof of the Pit was formed by panes of glass, and there was a building above that let in sunlight, which was currently still orange from the setting sun.

Davina felt someone next to her and glanced to see Peter, who sent her a small smile, just as Four spoke again. "If you follow me," he said, "I'll show you the chasm."

He led them to the right side of the Pit, which was noticeably darker. The floor creaked under Davina's feet and she looked down to see they were now stood on an iron 'bridge', which was lined by railings. Davina swallowed thickly as they headed forward and the sound of water became apparent. She risked a look over the side, immediately regretting it as she saw fast-moving water crashing against the rocks. The floor dropped off at a terrifying sharp angle several stories below, showing the rippling surface of a river. One side was calmer, while one was water racing against rock and sending up a cool spray.

Davina pulled away from the railing, but the rushing of the water still rung in her head. "The chasm reminds us that there is a fine line between bravery and idiocy!" Four shouted over the noise. "A daredevil jump off this ledge will end your life. It has happened before and it will happen again. You've been warned."

Four led the group of initiates across the Pit toward a gaping hole in the wall. The room beyond was well-lit enough that it was possible to see where they were going: a dining hall full of people and clattering silverware.

When the grouped walked in, the Dauntless inside stood up. They applauded. They stamped their feet. They shouted. Some around Davina grinned, but she was preoccupied by finding an empty seat. There was a mostly empty table at the side of the room, and since Four headed there, many of the others followed.

Davina found herself sitting between Will and Peter, and across from that Abnegation boy. Edward and Myra were a few seats down and across, but Davina wasn't bothered. They'd made it to their new home. In the centre of the table was a platter of food; hamburgers. Davina grabbed one for her plate when someone next to her asked her to pass the tomato sauce. It was the Candor boy, and Davina obliged.

"I'm Davina by the way," she introduced as casually as she could as they exchanged condiments. "Davina Todd."

The boy looked at her evenly before saying, "Peter Hayes,"

"Good to finally have a name to that pretty face," Davina said, not missing a beat.

The boy arched an eyebrow. "Oh, you think I'm pretty?"

"Mmhm," Davina hummed as she finished with a mouthful of her hamburger. "But a pretty asshole," she added.

Peter raised both his eyebrows. "A what?"

"A pretty asshole," Davina repeated.

"Why?"

"Well I thought you were pretty but then you turned out to be an asshole as well." Davina shrugged and took another bite of her food. Peter looked at her for a few extended moments, and for a second Davina wondered if she had genuinely offended him, before he smirked.

"But you still think I'm pretty?" he said, sounding smug. Davina suspected he had had his looks complimented most of his life, and knew her harmless flirting had probably boosted his ego.

She just grinned. "Aren't you Candor? Value my honesty."

A hush suddenly fell over the hall, and Davina glanced up to see a blonde, heavily-pierced man entering. It was so quiet his footsteps could be heard, as he headed towards _their _table and took a seat with Four. Davina stared at him for a few seconds, gauging that the crowd's reaction must mean he held some authority or at least reputation, before looking away.

"Well, I'll be damned," she murmured to Will.

"What?" he asked through a mouthful.

"Eric Coulter, remember? He was only two years above us," Davina said, quietly, as if maybe he'd hear from where he sat a few places away from them.

Will's eyes widened as he looked at the man. "Oh, shit." Davina had barely known the boy, but she knew enough to place him. He was still talking to Four, but she was too far away to hear what he was saying.

Davina turned to the side to see Peter looking across at the Abnegation boy. He had a sharp, triangular face, with messy brown hair and eyes so dark she couldn't distinguish his irises from his pupils. But the most striking part was the thin scar on the left of his face, a mere white line trailing from his now-permanently-slit eyebrow and a few inches below the eye. Davina wondered how someone who had come from such a soft Faction would've gotten the precise injury, as it was old enough to have faded and turned white.

Peter, however, only jeered at him. "Ooh another Stiff."

The boy looked up. "I thought Candor were supposed to tell the truth not point out the obvious," he said effortlessly, and Davina stifled laughter at the shocked look on Peter's face. The Stiff held eye contact for a few moments before looking back down at his plate.

"Wow. A speechless Candor," Davina mused at Peter. "There's something I never thought I'd see."

* * *

After dinner, Eric lead the transfers out, while Four seemed to have disappeared. They followed the former-Erudite down a series of hallways, with no indication of where they would be going. Davina theorised he _must _be some kind of leader, maybe even _a _leader, despite his young age.

The ground underfoot was uneven, and no one talked. Eric eventually stopped in front of a wooden door and crossed his arms over his chest. The initiates gathered around him instinctively.

"For those of you who don't know, my name is Eric," he introduced. "I am one of five leaders of the Dauntless. We take the initiation process very seriously here, so I volunteered to oversee most of your training." Davina arched an eyebrow, slightly impressed by such a young Faction-transfer taking that position. "Some ground rules," he continued. "You have to be in the training room by eight o'clock every day. Training takes place every day from eight to six, with a break for lunch. You are free to do whatever you like after six. You will also get some time off between each stage of initiation. You are only permitted to leave the compound when accompanied by a Dauntless," Eric explained, before gesturing to the wooden door. "Behind this door is the room where you will be sleeping for the next few weeks. You will notice that there are fourteen beds and only eleven of you. We anticipated that a higher proportion of you would make it this far."

"But we started with fourteen," Christina protested. Davina rolled her eyes.

"There is always at least one transfer who doesn't make it to the compound," Eric replied, devoid of any emotion to those who had lost their lives before initiation had even begun. He shrugged. "Anyway, in the first stage of initiation, we keep transfers and Dauntless-born initiates separate, but that doesn't mean you are evaluated separately. At the end of initiation, your rankings will be determined in comparison with the Dauntless-born initiates. And they are better than you are already. So, I expect–"

"Rankings?" Myra squeaked. She was a bit away from Davina, her hand in Edward's. "Why are we ranked?"

Eric smiled, an eerie sight in the blue light cast by the lanterns. "Your ranking serves two purposes," he began. "The first is that it determines the order in which you will select a job after initiation. There are only a few desirable positions available." Davina narrowed her eyes. So, it was a competition? "The second purpose is that only the top twelve initiates are made members."

Davina tensed. More than competition. A game of survival.

No one moved or said a word, before Davina cut in. "What?"

"There are eleven Dauntless-borns, and eleven of you," Eric explained, his eyes not even looking for Davina. "Four initiates will be cut at the end of stage one. The remainder will be cut after the final test." Davina frowned. What would the tests be? What were her odds opposed to everyone else? She had no idea, and was treading dangerously in unknown territory.

"What do we do if we're cut?" Peter spoke up from somewhere behind Davina.

"You leave the Dauntless compound," Eric said, "and live factionless." Myra clamped her hand over her mouth and stifled a sob, Edward wrapping a comforting arm around her. Davina felt herself harden. She would be stubborn, she would be strong. _Brave_. She hadn't risked it all by choosing Dauntless only to fail.

"But that's…not fair!" Molly, one of Peter's two friends, exclaimed. She sounded angry, but the look on her face was one of fear. "If we had known–"

"Are you saying that if you had known this before the Choosing Ceremony, you wouldn't have chosen Dauntless?" Eric snapped. "Because if that's the case, you should get out now. If you are really one of us, it won't matter to you that you might fail. And if it does, you are a coward." Eric pushed the door to the dormitory open. "You chose us," he told them. "Now we have to choose you."

* * *

There was no privacy in the dorms. Everyone could see everyone, and changing into clothes was as uncomfortable as it sounded. Davina had relented, having nothing to hide, and had changed out of her blue Erudite clothes and into black clothes the Dauntless had provided. They were basic, but putting them on already made Davina feel further from her home.

Undoing her hair for the night revealed her blue Erudite ribbon, and Davina stuffed it under her pillow. That small of piece of fabric was a small semblance of home.

"Hey." Davina glanced up to see Edward approaching her, not accompanied by Myra, for once. "How you holding up?" he asked, taking a seat on the bed next to Davina. She shuffled over to give him space.

"I'm fine," she replied, easily, even if it wasn't completely true. "Why?"

Edward sighed. "I'm not stupid. I know Viviane was your other half." Davina's gaze fell. Of course, he could read her. He knew her the best of anyone in the room, now that Viviane would never count as that ever again.

"It's fine. We made our choices." Davina shrugged, trying to make it seem like she wasn't missing her sister horribly. Edward clearly didn't believe her, and she probably wouldn't have, either. "How's Myra?" Davina swerved the conversation away from her vulnerability before Edward could push further.

Edward's face shifted at the sudden topic change, but he didn't fight it. "I… she's waiting to see what the stages are. At this point, who knows what they'll make us do?"

"Right," Davina said, tightly. The two sat in silence for a few moments, Edward looking at the floor and Davina at her lap, where she continually weaved her blue ribbon in and out of her fingers. "Well, goodnight," she finally said, hating the awkwardness that had enclosed them.

Edward gave her a small smile. "Goodnight, Davina." He kissed her forehead, something he'd been known to do before, but rarely, and left for his own bed.

Davina slipped into hers, rolling over many times until she got comfortable. Anxiety clawed at her insides, and she knew it would not rest until she knew what initiation involved. Under her pillow, she continued to twist the blue ribbon around her fingers, knowing there would never be a time where she would don the colour again.

* * *

**A/N**: okay so i'm not dead. i've had a rough few months but i'm doing better now and am excited to be back writing and enjoying it_! _chapters from here on out will generally be longer like this one. i also snuck an extra oc in there, fully on purpose to keep the class of transfers an uneven number, but he is not useless in the slightest. anyway, please leave review and let me know your thoughts, consider following or favouriting aaaaand thank you for reading and i'll see y'all in the next one_!_


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